Curves
- My rheumatologist recommended joining Curves. You spend only 30 seconds doing weight bearing or arobic exercise and do the rotation twice (1 minute total time at each station). Sometimes I have to skip 1-2 stations depending on what hurts and how bad. Mostly I can do all stations and attend 3 days a week, with at least 1day between each. It has helped me physically and emotionally. And it's open to women only which creates a good social atmosphere, too.
- —Guest Anita Dengler
What I do
- Mild exercise in my hot tub will relax muscles and work them gently at the same time.I sit down and do bicycling moves with my legs and stretch. I push the water with my arms. I can't handle the temp I a swimming pool, I like it at 103 and the nature in my back yard. I follow with a hot shower as it's still hard to get my neck to relax. I am exhausted by then and it helps me try to get to sleep. I don't drink anything caffeinated, but still can't sleep. Usually am awake for 5 days before I can get to sleep, yes I take sleep medication but does nothing but make me want to eat. Since I can,t sleep, it makes for long,log days of aching,so I use warm gel packs off and on for the rest of the time. U just have to microwave them for 2 min or less. I use to garden, but now can only enjoy container dahlias that r almost as tall as I am, a raised bed for veggies and tall roses I don't have to bend down for. Licoln is a great smelling rose and tall. I read and look at garden books the rest of year.
- —Guest Flowerfancier
Stretching Exercises
- Warm-up stretching exercises to prevent injury. Simple stretch exercises and fitness plans to make sure you don't injure yourself.
- —Guest Tim May
Staying Inside Your Zone
- I've found it most helpful not to just do what I can do, but LESS. I'm blessed to be able to walk when my COPD isn't kicking up- love being outdoors! Thanks guest Sandy B for reverse range of motion idea- worst thing about resistance exercise for me is the post exercise stiffness/tightness. Luck to all!
- —Guest Diana Comeau
Just Getting Started
- YOu are all inspiring I am just getting started using my Wii Fit Plus. I do a 3 or 4 games on the Wii and it gets me going. My first love is dancing--I turned on the radio and danced around in my livingroom for 30 min today my legs are so sore--not vry good at pacing myself.
- —Guest BeckyCumber
Sitting Exercises
- Sitting exercises are great for those who can't stand much. I don't remember where I saw it - perhaps in a magazine or something. I'm sure they're available online or in a book. Just check with Google. I can't do very little and when I go long without any I have to start very, very slowly or suffer the consequences. I've had ME/CFS & Fibro for over 25 years and am now 70 with aging issues as well. So its essential to take it slow.
- —grannycfs
Every little bit helps
- Work has paid for CBT for 3 months which has allowed me to think more positively about CFS. I've been putting on weight though as I gave up smoking beforehand as well so made me look to find a suitable exercise for me. Exercise bike - laughable, 30 seconds made it almost impossible for me to stand so had to sit on it not doing anything in a gym for 10 minutes to the questioning looks of other people, I found it funny anyway. Walking is just fine with me, knowing when to turn around can be a tricky thing as there is always the chance of walking to far and ruining the next couple of days. Swimming or rather floating with a bit of swimming I've found to be nice, but it doesn't exert myself too much, getting out the pool though up the ladder is the fun bit there. So its salad, no carbs and vitamin supplements for me as well as trying to walk and making myself walk everyday. Good luck to everyone finding their right way!
- —Guest Simon M
warm water swimming
- The only exercise I can do without serious repercussions is gentle swimming in a warmer than ususal pool. I can manage 20 to 30 mins at most and although i aim for 3 times weekly I am doing well if I manage two. tends to average 3 a fortnight. i also do a little gardening but that means ten mins and then I am tired out....if I do longer then I end up so exhausted I go into my `deadly sleep` where I just flop and snore for the Olympics. Post exertional malaise is a real problem for me as I seem to take days to recover between exercise sessions. i hope to get into cycling on an exercise bike...can manage about 3 minutes lol and I used to enjoy bouncing on a mini tramp...well more hopping from one foot to the other which makes me laugh so much that I feel instantly better...I aim to do this outsde at the back of the hous where there is a view and I want to go back to Tai Chi which helps focus my foggy brain. Great to hear the success stories out there. I agree exercise helps.
- —Guest Sue Jay
ME/CFS Tried Graded Exercise Got Worse
- I have ME/CFS and tried exercising working slowly with aerobic exercises. My heart rate really high could not stay in target zone at all. I tried over the months. I finally crashed hard. All I accomplished was raising my resting heart rate higher than before. I try to disprove I was just de-conditioned. I proved that graded exercise did not work for me. I do exercise laying or sitting down as stretches and some light weights. I used to do light swimming but now getting hard to do. Also diagnosed with MS. I have both. I have to keep muscle tone and bone density up. Listen to your body. It knows what you can or can't do. I get dizzy on standing as blood pressure drops, so I aware that trying to take a walk won't work. I just do what I can. Stretches and light weights and nothing standing up.
- —Guest Tired in SC
BEGIN WITH O.T STRETCH-STRENGTH EXERCISE
- Because of my own malaise in all the above including adrenal fatigue eventually, there is nothing like personal experience, and then learning from one's patients (who are the experts of their own conditions), and practicaly both studying and teaching the effects of BASIC OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY exercises - beginto do stretches IN HOT WATER IN BATHING morning and evening and anytime in between -eg even if one has abasin with some epsom salts to relieve muscles stiffness, place hands gently in bowl of warm water and/ or feet whilst relaxing in a chair, doing specific OT stretch-the-ligamnents-tendons-myofascial to INFORM THE BRAIN and body cells that YOU have taken charge of this new process. Dr Mark Pelligrino has advocated this for years, in all lectures, books etc. He is THE FM phsysiatrist give his books and examples a read for beginning with good FOUNDATION stones of stretch, stregth, before going to the aerobics of anything. Pilattes/taichi et al come much later! Sharon Levin SAFRICA
- —Guest SHARON LEVIN
You all are inspiring!
- What a great question and helpful responses! It is hard for me to exercise, but I want to. T'ai chi is something that's a good fit for me. I had been learning it from a video and then decided to take classes. I had to drop out of classes because the instructor wanted us to hold poses rather than continue to move. Holding poses meant terrible muscle spasms for me. So, I think learning from the video is a better alternative for me!
- —Guest greybeh
Full Range of Motion in Exercise
- I have found that, when using any sort of exercise machine, I need to complete the range of motion. For example, if I'm doing a [very slow] biceps curl, I return to the starting position. I then let go of the machine, and slowing bring my arms down all the way and relax them, before returning my hands to the machine. Slow and deliberate, with few reps, is key for me, while those surrounding me are going for speed and volume. In "non-exercise" mode, I do the same thing: if I'm picking something up and twisting to my right as I do it, after setting it down I twist to the left with the same kind of motion. It seems to somewhat unwind the damage of the movement.
- —Guest Sandy Birkenmaier
Cardio Weights Stretch Masage
- Having lived with fibromyalgia for over 20 years, it did take a little time to actually be able to start exercising. It started with just 5 minutes every day. It was a conditioning process for the body. Within in 2 years I am now working out at least 5 days a week doing 40 minutes cardio 3 times a week. Using a cross trainer and cycle mostly as it seems gentler on the joints. Finishing off on the treadmill and stretching. Stretching is so important for us. I also do 20 minutes cardio and weights the other 3 days. Small weights, it is just the bodys movements rebuilding our sore and tired muscles. I strongly recommend you ease into this. At first you will feel so exhausted so do not over do it. Gradually build yourself up to this. Use a Protien drink after your workout it really helps with recovery and Glutamine as well. Take 1 magnesium tablet to help with muscle spasms.Inner health plus for the IBS. Drink green tea and a healthy diet. You will feel Amazing. Go for it.
- —Guest Linda Brandes
gentle water exercise
- The Arthritis Foundation promotes a water exercise routine called "water exercise for arthritis" which is much gentler than typical water aerobics classes but exercises all the muscles. It is offered at many Y's and some health clubs and gyms--you can get information about your area from the Arthritis Foundation, www.arthritis.org. Because it's less vigorous than most aerobics classes, it's much more accessible to people with fibromyalgia who tire easily. And the instructors are trained to let people go at their own pace; nobody is going to push you beyond your endurance level. It's the only exercise program that really works for me
- —stellachiara
ME/CFS exercise
- We all know there are some days when just getting out of bed to pee is hard work, so i exercise lying in bed. The Feldenkrais Lesson-a Month archive has some great slow stretching exercises that you can do lying down, and i combine whatever seems good from that site with some very basic Yoga, lots of deep breathing, and semi-crunches and leg lifts if i'm feeling up for them. On days when i can get up, walking just to walk and dancing gently to my favourite songs - maximum 30 mins - keeps me from the depression way better than any meds. Thank goodness for Ipod!
- —Guest lily
